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Homer Stayin Home

The deal will pay Holmstrom $2.25 million next season, $1.5 million in 2011-12.

The salary-cap hit is $1.875 million a year. Holmstrom is expected to sign today or Monday.

Holmstrom, 37, has been with the Wings since 1996, helping them win four Stanley Cups with his hard-nosed play.

He worked his way up from being a fourth-line player with power-play duty to being a first-line regular and power-play stalwart. He has scored at least 20 goals in four of the past five seasons.

The vast majority of his goals are deflections or redirections from in front of the net, an area where Holmstrom spends so much time he has to wear extra padding to deal with the shoving and stick-work he absorbs as punishment. The abuse that often leaves him walking with a limp is something teammates delightfully refer to as “Homer’s pimp walk.”

What I don't like to hear is that they are planning on bringing back Meech and Bertuzzi. Why??

Go after a guy younger than Bertuzzi who will put up the same numbers... there are tons of them in FA. I just don't think keeping your team the same and then adding Hudler is going to turn you from a second round playoff team into a cup contender.

And being healthy won't have much to do with it either. The Wings were healthy in the first and second rounds and struggled both rounds with flashes of brilliance. Our PP was dismal and our PK was average. They don't need a big piece, but they need something not named Todd Bertuzzi.

What I don't like to hear is that they are planning on bringing back Meech and Bertuzzi. Why??

Go after a guy younger than Bertuzzi who will put up the same numbers... there are tons of them in FA. I just don't think keeping your team the same and then adding Hudler is going to turn you from a second round playoff team into a cup contender.

And being healthy won't have much to do with it either. The Wings were healthy in the first and second rounds and struggled both rounds with flashes of brilliance. Our PP was dismal and our PK was average. They don't need a big piece, but they need something not named Todd Bertuzzi.

I tend to agree. Bringing Bert back won't upset me or anything, but I just don't know if it will be enough. Our organization is extremely loyal, which is great and all, but I'm not sure how far its gonna get us in the next few years.

By the way, this deal is getting really favorable reviews here in Canada. People are wondering why Lidstrom wasn't as generous...

Indeed. Homer has never made nearly as much money as he is worth. If you look at the production of some other guys around the league who play his style and compare salaries, its pretty amazing how much of a bargain he has been.

As far as Nick, I wish he would have taken less. 6.2 is not much of a discount, but the most important thing is he's back. He's irreplaceable.

By the way, this deal is getting really favorable reviews here in Canada. People are wondering why Lidstrom wasn't as generous...

That is because people forget that these athletes are human and most humans enjoy making as much money as possible.

Would you take 5 million instead of 6 million? I know I much rather make 6 million if a team is willing to give it to me.

I feel that the media wrongly scrutinizes players who don't take a "home town discount". I would be curious to see how many media members would be willing to take a pay discount while still having to do the same job...

That is because people forget that these athletes are human and most humans enjoy making as much money as possible.

Would you take 5 million instead of 6 million? I know I much rather make 6 million if a team is willing to give it to me.

I feel that the media wrongly scrutinizes players who don't take a "home town discount". I would be curious to see how many media members would be willing to take a pay discount while still having to do the same job...

Agreed. I would have loved for Lidstrom to take less, but he deserves what he got and I don't think anything less of him for it.

Agreed. I would have loved for Lidstrom to take less, but he deserves what he got and I don't think anything less of him for it.

Hell, I am not happy with Campbell and Huet for their contracts and I dont think that they are worth it...but I certainly don't think anything less of them for it as well. Good for them for getting those contracts. I don't know many people out there who won't take more than they are worth for the same job they are doing.

Hell, I am not happy with Campbell and Huet for their contracts and I dont think that they are worth it...but I certainly don't think anything less of them for it as well. Good for them for getting those contracts. I don't know many people out there who won't take more than they are worth for the same job they are doing.

Haha, show me a Balckhawk fan that is happy with the Huet contract, and I'll show you a giant idiot.

I think what happened with the Lidstrom deal (because both he and Holland said it got done in less than a few hours which is INSANE) is that Holland low balled at about $4.5 and Lidstrom and his agent said $6.5 and Holland said $6.2 and then it was done. Then they argued about a 1 or 2 year deal.

It would have been nice for him to have a $1M contract and let the Wings run wild in free agency, but it just wasn't going to happen that way. The Wings wouldn't have paid him that much if they weren't ready to do that. I'm certain they planned their offseason as if Lidstrom wasn't taking a pay cut at all, so with the $1.4M freed up by him and the money freed up by Homer, they Wings have some wiggle room that they didn't think they'd have.